TomJ Posted March 14, 2015 Author Share Posted March 14, 2015 A busy couple of months means its been a while since I last posted but there has been a fair bit of progress. The heavy work in converting the old layout into a junction is vitally complete. I have learn the lessons of layouts passed and not rushed or bodged things. For example the line into the clay dries wasn't quite laid correctly and some engines didn't like it. Previously I'd have just left it - this time I ripped it up and relaid it properly - I wish I'd done this before infilling the track! Anyway its all tested and runs quite well. Dapol uncoupling magnets have been hidden at various spots (some rather too well hidden) and I am slowly converting some of my older rapido stock to the auto uncouplers. The base of the scenic work has been done, with the first covering of dirt and grass - I see this as a base to add the main scenic details too. A bit of white plaster still showing through! All the buildings are complete, the station, signal box and clay works, To give the impression of a junction in the middle of nowhere the only non-railway building is the derelict engine house This picture taken from the main fiddle yard pretty much shows the whole layout, the station at the front and the clay works behind Another overall view, this time taken from the other end, by the bridge over the track and old canal The derelict engine house. Inspired by the Kernow limited etc (I bet this means they'll bring out an N gauge versions now!). It also strategically hides a point motor. I wondered for ages how to make the typical stone and brick taper chimney, but in the end settled for a straight version. There are prototypes with a square base, and a tapered brick upper, so obviously the brick has collapsed on my model! Hiding under the trees is the small ground frame that allows a train to be locked into the clay works and so allow another up the branch (as per Ponts Mill or modern Coombe Junction). I suspect the building is too big but I already had it (it was a PD Marsh taster of their wooden kits - based on Watlington) and I wanted to find a home for it Two views of the clay works complex, deliberately designed to be the main feature and dominate over the station. At the far end you can see the stream which runs under the bridge. The inspiration from this is the old Moorswater canal, now overgrown and nothing more than a ditch, running under a bridge inspired by that at Coombe Junction. A photo of a 37 squeezing under this bridge was my first introduction to the fascinating Cornish Clay lines So now its time to really work on the scenery to make it into a little corner of Cornwall. I have the fences to install but not quite sure where they should go. For example whether the clay line would be fenced or unfenced? And regarding the grassy bank between the station and the clay works, would the boundary fence be by the station, by the edge of the clay works or both, enclosing the grassy bank. Then I need to work out how to recreate gorse bushes in 2mm!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJ Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 As well as daydreaming on new ideas (see thread in layout designs…….) I've actually done some real modelling. The scenics are coming on well here and what I'd call the basics are done now. Whats left is of course the hard bit, the detailing that changes generic field into something that looks a bit like central Cornwall. As I mentioned earlier the idea of this layout is a simple plan to play with my stock, which ranges in interest from ex-GWR steam to the 1980s BR Blue scene. Luckily on the fringes of the network the changes don't happen overnight, and many of the structures, signals and so on were much the same in the 80s and they were in the 60s. I suspect the big obvious change on this layout would be the stations so I've designed this as a modular building that can be changed for era. As the location is the middle of nowhere and it wasn't unknown for Newquay trains to run totally empty in the winter I don't need to worry too much about people, fashions or road vehicles. I've had a play recently with some of the 1980s stock so thought I'd post some picture to prove I've actually done something with this! A couple of pictures showing the overall layout and how it fits into the box bedroom. The overall layout is just over 5ft long in the scenic section. At the right hand end is a fiddle yard with five roads on the 'main' line and two on the branch so allowing a lot of short trains to be held. At the left will be a very short 2 road fiddle yard (I think 1.5ft is about how long it will be) allowing a DMU or tank engine and two coaches to wait and reverse Classic Cornish traction! A 37 (with Cornish rail decals and William Cookworthy name plates, but not yet renumbered!) shuffles a rake of CDAs around the yard. I know that by 1988 the Cornish Rail logos had gone but its Rule 1 and anyway SWMBO would not understand why I needed two almost identical looking blue diesel engines! At the other end a Farish polybulk waits under the loader. Clearly this needs some rather heavy duty weathering. The clay works and inspired by Carbis Wharf, which was the last traditional coal fired dry right up to 1989. But it only saw one wagon a month which might be a bit dull for operation so clearly a few liberties have been taken! A bubble car squeezes under the bridge (based on the one at Coombe Junction) alongside the remains of the former canal before entering the station. Not many passengers waiting……. The signal box is based on that at Coombe Junction. Thanks to BCNPete on here for some drawings, and plenty of inspiration from his threads! An 08 propels a couple of wagons and a brake van up the branch, a slow, infrequent working if ever there was one! On the return it will need to run round at Camel Bridge, there being no run round facility at the end of the branch (like Ponts Mill). The crossing keepers cottage is based on the one still standing next to the line to Par Docks. Despite living hundreds of miles away Google Earth allowed me to get some pretty good views of it for the model. I'm not sure why there would be a keepers cottage AND a signal box next to each other but I rather liked the cottage so wanted to model it. These photos have clearly shown me (and RMWeb!) that there are plenty of rough spots and a lot of work to do but hopefully will inspire me to keep on with it. Perhaps I'll turn the clock back for the next running session - shiny new 22s and green bubble cars alongside worn out 45xx, pannier tanks and M7s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJ Posted June 20, 2015 Author Share Posted June 20, 2015 Just had my first go at trying to recreate that elusive Cornish clay look. Brambles and gorse are made from lichen and teased out foliage dusted with yellow scatter. The rocks are supposed to represent the outcrops found on the edges of the Luxulyan valley. I'm not really sure about them..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Hi Tom I love your model of my cottage at Par! I've spent the last two weekends demolishing a hideous extension so the house is now the original footprint! No idea why a signal box and Crossing keeper but I'm going to investigate! Dee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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